26th
July
2011

I hadn’t raced a 24hr enduro since my first year racing in 2007, racing in a Bath Uni team. I remember the discomfort of waking at 4am after some ‘sleep’ and having to get back on my bike and ride around in morning drizzle. Add to that two mech hangers breaking in the final laps, causing us loose the University Cat and the only thing supporting my moral; I concluded 24hr racing was simply unpleasant! When the role call come for the team to do a 24hr event I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy. 

The week before I was, however, starting to look forward to the event. I think given the week after National Champs, a fun event with no pressure was starting to appeal to me. When I arrived at Newnham, base camp was already set: mechanic and bike wash, buffet table, more than one item of kit (changing socks each lap was luxury given Newnham’s rivers) and I even had a space in a tent waiting, I could immediately tell this would be a whole different experience to my one 4 years ago. 

Matt did the first lap and handed over to me just after Dave Collins, on a fun team, I caught their rider on the first climb and took us into the lead. A snapped chain for Oli on his first lap though didn’t allow us to relax, as we conceded 10mins, putting us into second by 5mins. I’m not sure my pacing really changed. Put a number board on my bike and I will give it beans, obviously not quite race pace but that is only because there isn’t a wheel to hold! I kept telling myself, ‘next lap will be a steady one’ but it was never the case. 

After Oli’s snapped chain, the rest of the race went without a hitch; certainly thanks to Damo washing and giving each bike a once over each lap. No missed changed overs due to some slick timing by Dave and after a tasty dinner from Jan, I headed to bed for some rest before my morning shift. Getting up at 3am I felt a world different from ‘07, other than feeling out of the groove on my first lap back, I was raring to pull through to the finish. My last lap I donned the skinsuit as I starting to flag and needed something to get my race head back. I down a cola gel and pulled back 3mins to a 41min lap. Matt, who was taking the baton and also flagging the lap previous, saw me coming through, sprinting out the saddle, dripping in sweat, interteam competitiveness shone and he pulled a 40min lap out of the bag. The last bursts allowed us to finish first, a lap lead on second. 

I now have a much better taste of 24hr racing. I still wouldn’t choose it out of preference as the discomfort and unpleasantness still stands over the following days; my legs are still in shreds and I’m still not sure what is going on in my stomach most the time but perhaps that will change a tint of rose within time. 

Thanks to all the support from Dave, Jan and Damo during the race and of course my teammates.